Mod of the Month June 2013

Comments 1 to 25 of 49

This is a really interesting MotM as IMO 3 of the entries are almost identical. Project NV has an astounding set of water loops, but the rest is just way too vanilla for me. Model 01 and Guilty share many similar traits, despite definitely being unique in their own ways. I've gone for Revelation as it just seems more different than the other options, the ingenuity is refreshing.

I have to admit that for some time now I have been losing interest in these mod builds as they seem to be getting so specialised and further and further away from what the average modder can do or even explore. Don't get me wrong, they all look amazing in their own ways, it's just that the whole thing of modding now seems too far out of reach and just not accessible to the average person.

Originally Posted by SchizoFrogI have to admit that for some time now I have been losing interest in these mod builds as they seem to be getting so specialised and further and further away from what the average modder can do or even explore. Don't get me wrong, they all look amazing in their own ways, it's just that the whole thing of modding now seems too far out of reach and just not accessible to the average person.

There is a lot of CNC work now which wasnt done by the builders,ie farmed out parts.....
I do get where you are coming from tho

Originally Posted by SchizoFrogI have to admit that for some time now I have been losing interest in these mod builds as they seem to be getting so specialised and further and further away from what the average modder can do or even explore. Don't get me wrong, they all look amazing in their own ways, it's just that the whole thing of modding now seems too far out of reach and just not accessible to the average person.

^^ This, mind I have to say after all the work and expense these people go through I think the prizes are somewhat disappointing :(

Originally Posted by TeelzebubI realise people don't do it for the prizes but tbh I have never see the prizes used in the mods, People do mod for the sponsorship though

I was just about to echo that and totally agree with what Tel has said here. There are many more mods now where almost all of the parts are from sponsorship. Don't get me wrong, that's fine, but when most of these builds as we've seen already use super expensive custom and outsourced stuff, you'd wonder why they actually need to be sponsored when they could clearly afford some super parts anyway. Then again, I'm still for budget modding, but even then, it's hard for me to get some nicer parts as I have to sell other stuff in the meantime and it's a bit of a headache.

But let that not detract from these stunning builds. I have got back on the scene these last couple of months and that is down in part to some astounding new projects showing up.

Originally Posted by KidMod-SouthpawI was just about to echo that and totally agree with what Tel has said here. There are many more mods now where almost all of the parts are from sponsorship. Don't get me wrong, that's fine, but when most of these builds as we've seen already use super expensive custom and outsourced stuff, you'd wonder why they actually need to be sponsored when they could clearly afford some super parts anyway. Then again, I'm still for budget modding, but even then, it's hard for me to get some nicer parts as I have to sell other stuff in the meantime and it's a bit of a headache.

But let that not detract from these stunning builds. I have got back on the scene these last couple of months and that is down in part to some astounding new projects showing up.

I really can't agree with that-in my case CNC+materials are 3 times cheaper than doing everything with hand with material from store.

All great builds this month with astonishing levels of build quality and attention to detail. For originality though I have to vote for Revelation.

As far as the CNC and sponsorship issues go I think that its great that people are using the latest technology to create innovative and often otherwise unachievable builds. The only downside is that small mods and new modders may be put off sharing their work as it is easy to develop an inferiority complex regarding your own work when surrounded by creative brilliance. For me it has proved both inspiring and frustrating. My original ideas have evolved from seeing what others have done but are now pushing, and often exceeding, my fabrication capabilities - which has resulted in my build being neglected over the last few months. I don't think anything can really be done to improve this situation though as adding a tiered build and award system would reduce the exposure of smaller projects rather than boost it.
Sponsorship is another good thing in my opinion. Allows builders to spend the money that they would otherwise be investing in components on materials and mods. Also shows that the sponsors themselves are maintaining interest in modding which is good for all of us.

I actually do have a couple of reservations with the current use of CNC work, although they're not what many would expect. I really support the use of modern techniques, after all I'm having a significant portion of my NUC build 3D printed. My main issue is people not really being very imaginative with the machine's capabilities. Project N.V's water channels, I thought, were a very interesting and successful use, much in the same vein of other mods like the Twister 800D one last year. But using a CNC to cut rectangular pieces of metal for a square case bothers me a little, there's just so much design potential not being realised there. Many users have shown you can go for fantastic, unexpected shapes with hand tooling, just imagine the possibilities when 3D printing and machining are introduced. Key example here for me is Acronym, which I thought was simply beautiful, a truly brilliant use of a CNC mill to achieve a very unique, professional profile.